Chris Coleman press conference: Sunderland boss says his side could have beat QPR

QPR came away with a 1-0 victory over the relegation-strugglers, but despite being reduced to ten men early in the second half, the former Fulham favourite says he was pleased with his side's commitment to the cause.

Sunderland manager Chris Coleman says that he was comfortable that his side could have taken all three point in yesterday's clash at Loftus Road.

QPR came away with a 1-0 victory over the relegation-strugglers, but despite being reduced to ten men early in the second half, the former Fulham favourite says he was pleased with his side's commitment to the cause.

Speaking after the game, he said: "We whimpered out of it on Tuesday night, but we didn’t whimper out of this one.

Chris Coleman (Image: Getty Images Europe)

“We were down to ten men, yes we could have done better with the goal without a doubt, but at least we were in the game all through the game.

“Right at the end there, we might have got a goal ourselves.

“In the first 45 minutes, there was so much on it for us - it might have been different for QPR - but I felt that we could go on and win it 1-0, I felt comfortable in the game.

“I thought the players’ mentality was right today. We are lacking confidence in vital areas, but in terms of overall mentality there was nothing wrong with that.

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“Then, five minutes into the second half, you can easily forgive people for saying ‘that’s it, here we go again, it’s Sunderland and it’s never going to change’, we were down to ten men and then we conceded.

“But we didn’t buckle. We showed a bit of grit and fought right to the end.

“It’s another game, though, another defeat. And in five of the 21 games I have been here, we have finished with ten men.

“That’s tough going and you can forgive people for thinking doom and gloom.